The present invention relates to a network configuration method for managing a network in which a plural of, for example, en IEEE-1394 serial buses are connected, an information processing method, an information processing unit and a computer readable medium.
For a digital signal transmission standard, many standards such as standards by International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) exist. It is noticed that out of these standards, IEEE 1394 is illustratively regarded as suitable for multi-media use such as connection between electronic devices for home use, for example, a digital video recorder and connection between these electronic devices and a computer. As such IEEE 1394 is well known, the description of the contents is omitted.
Currently, in P1394.1 (bridge) working group, the standardization activity of a bridge format in IEEE-1394 environment is performed (as the above activity is described in P1394.1 Draft 0.03 Oct. 18, 1997, the description thereof is omitted). An IEEE-1394 bridge (hereinafter called merely a bridge) is composed of a set of units each called a portal and connected to an IEEE-1394 serial bus (hereinafter suitably abbreviated to a bus), so that data transmission between/among plural buses (two or more) via the bridge is enabled. That is, a number of devices (nodes) which can be connected to one IEEE-1394 serial bus are limited to a maximum of 63, however, further more nodes can be connected by connecting plural buses using the bridges to constitute a network by the buses and the bridges. It is already proposed that data transmission in a bridge (between portals) is performed using not only a cable but also a radio wave, infrared rays and others.
Unique node ID (NODE_ID) is allocated to each equipment, that is, a node, which is connected to a bus. The node ID is composed of bus ID (BUS_ID) denoting a bus to which the node is connected and physical layer ID (PHY_ID, a number of 0 to 63) which is a serial number in the connected bus. Therefore, the bus IDs are allocated to plural buses composing a network without duplication and only one node for functioning as a bridge manager (bridge management equipment) with a function to manage and control the whole network is required.
If in the above network, plural candidates for a bridge manager with a function of a bridge manager exist, there is a problem that one of the candidates cannot be automatically selected as a bridge manager.
The object of the present invention is to enable the automatic determination of a bridge manager out of plural candidates for a bridge manager. Another object of the present invention is to enable the representation in a numeric value of various functions of the equipment as candidates for a bridge manager to compare the various functions, to enable pieces of equipment to read or write information stored in two different storage areas even in the conflict therebetween and further, to enable selecting further multi-function equipment, equipment faster in processing speed and others preferentially when a bridge manager is determined.
A network configuration method according to the present invention is a network configuration method for managing a network in which a bridge is configured by connecting devices respectively connected to different buses and the different buses are connected via the bridge, characterized in that, in the device configuring the bridge, information owned by bridge management equipment managing the device is stored, and a piece of equipment is selected as bridge management equipment, based upon the information stored in the device configuring the bridge, among pieces of equipment which can manage the whole network.
Also, an information processing method according to the present invention is the information processing method of an information processing unit provided with functions which can manage a network in which a bridge is configured by connecting devices respectively connected to different buses and the different buses are connected via the bridge, characterized in that the above information processing method is provided with a processing step for judging whether it is selected as bridge management equipment or not based upon a result of the comparison between information which a device configuring the bridge stores, the information being owned by the bridge management equipment managing the device, and its own information.
Also, an information processing unit according to the present invention is an information processing unit provided with functions which can manage a network in which a bridge is configured by connecting devices respectively connected to different buses and the different buses are connected via the bridge, characterized in that the above information processing unit is provided with processing means for judging whether it is selected as bridge management device or not based upon a result of comparison between information which the device configuring the bridge stores, the information being owned by the bridge management equipment managing the device, and its own information.
Also, an information processing method according to the present invention is the information processing method of an information processing unit provided with a function as a bridge for connecting different buses, characterized in that the information processing method is provided with a storing step for storing information owned by bridge management equipment managing the bridge.
Also, an information processing unit according to the present invention is an information processing unit provided with a function as a bridge for connecting different buses, characterized in that the information processing unit is provided with storage means for storing information owned by bridge management equipment managing a bridge it owns.
Also, an information processing method according to the present invention is the information processing method of an information processing unit connected to a network in which a bridge is configured by connecting devices respectively connected to different buses and the different buses are connected via the bridge, characterized in that the above information processing method is provided with a step for setting a flag denoting an access right to a group of registers for storing information related to the setting of the bridge.
Also, an information processing unit according to the present invention is an information processing unit connected to a network in which a bridge is configured by connecting devices respectively connected to different buses and the different buses are connected via the bridge, characterized in that the information processing unit is provided with setting means for setting a flag denoting an access right to a group of registers for storing information related to the setting of the bridge.
Also, an information processing method according to the present invention is the information processing method of an information processing unit connected to a network in which a bridge is configured by connecting devices respectively connected to different buses and the different buses are connected via the bridge, characterized in that the information processing method comprises a step for referring to a flag denoting an access right stored in another equipment and a step for judging whether the above another equipment is accessed or not based upon the flag.
Also, an information processing unit according to the present invention is an information processing unit connected to a network in which a bridge is configured by connecting devices respectively connected to different buses and the different buses are connected via the bridge, characterized in that the above information processing unit comprises reference means for referring to a flag denoting an access right stored in another equipment and judging means for judging whether the above another equipment is accessed or not based upon the flag.
Also, a computer readable medium according to the present invention records a program for realizing the network configuration method, the information processing method and the information processing unit respectively according to the present invention.